Torkoal's shell might have held firm on the outside, but inside, it was a different story. The repeated blasts had already left cracks in its defenses — something Ash could see clearly with his sharp, battle-honed perception.
"Finish it, Arcanine — Flare Impact!" Ash's eyes flashed coldly as he gave the command.
With a thunderous roar, Arcanine vanished in a blur of fiery motion. In the blink of an eye, it appeared before Torkoal and slammed into it with explosive force. The impact echoed across the arena as the Fire-type was hurled backward, crashing heavily to the ground.
Referee: "Torkoal is unable to battle! Arcanine wins! Kyle Verenza, please send out your next Pokémon!"
The crowd erupted as the referee's announcement echoed through the stadium.
The first match was over — Kyle's Torkoal had fallen, but its ironclad defense left a strong impression on everyone watching.
Kyle exhaled softly, returning Torkoal to its Poké Ball.
"You did well, Torkoal. I'm proud of you," he said, smiling faintly before pulling out another ball.
This was the Final Four of the Indigo Conference — a six-on-six full battle. Every choice counted.
With a burst of white light, Kyle's next Pokémon appeared — a Magcargo, its molten shell bubbling and dripping lava.
Ash groaned inwardly. "Another Fire-type… Kyle really is obsessed," he muttered.
Commentator:
"The next Pokémon from Kyle Verenza is Magcargo — a Fire and Rock-type Pokémon from the Johto region! Let's see if Ash's Arcanine can continue its streak!"
The heat from Magcargo's body distorted the air itself, waves of shimmering energy rippling outward.
Even Arcanine began to pant from the temperature.
"Arcanine, return!" Ash called. With a flash of red light, the majestic Fire-type disappeared back into its Poké Ball.
Commentator:
"Oh! It seems Ash has withdrawn his Arcanine due to the immense heat pressure from Magcargo!"
Ash raised another Poké Ball, a confident smile forming on his face.
"Let's take to the skies! Go — Pidgeot!"
A powerful gust of wind burst across the battlefield as his Pidgeot emerged, spreading its enormous wings. The sunlight gleamed across its golden feathers as it soared into the air, earning loud cheers from the crowd.
Narrator:
"Ash's next Pokémon is Pidgeot — one of the most iconic Flying-types of Kanto!"
"Pidgeot!" it cried, circling high above the arena. It hadn't battled in a long time, and the thrill of returning to the field made its wings beat with renewed vigor.
Kyle frowned.
"A Flying-type, huh? So you're planning to neutralize my field control again. Clever move, Ash…"
He tightened his grip on Magcargo's Poké Ball.
"This won't be easy."
"Pidgeot, Steel Wing!" Ash ordered.
The bird's wings gleamed silver as it dived, slicing through the air at incredible speed.
"Magcargo, continuous Flamethrower!" Kyle shouted.
"Mag–cargo!" it roared, spitting out torrents of fire in quick succession.
Each jet of flame narrowly missed as Pidgeot twisted and rolled midair with breathtaking agility.
In the VIP viewing room...
Professor Masaki Oak: "Ash's Pidgeot has remarkable maneuverability. It might be the fastest Flying-type I've ever seen."
Mugino: "That speed's giving Kyle a real problem. No matter how strong your attacks are, if they can't connect, they're meaningless. I didn't expect that kid to have trained Pidgeot this well."
Skye Draconis: "And it's not just speed," he added with a faint smile.
"According to Shiro, Ash's attack precision is top-tier. His custom techniques pack devastating power — nearly on par with Electric-type strikes in destructive force."
"Hmph… just wait. I'll crush your confidence completely. Once I show you the power of my father's Pokémon, we'll see how far that so-called 'Kanto Champion' title gets you."
Makoto Ito's voice was cold, his eyes filled with resentment as he glared at Ash on the distant battlefield.
It wasn't just about the match — or even the fame.
What truly burned inside him was jealousy.
Cynthia — the woman he had long admired, was now engaged to Ash Ketchum. And to make matters worse, Ash's strength and popularity had skyrocketed across every region.
They were both heirs of powerful families, both raised among privilege and expectation…
Yet, while Ash's name was praised everywhere, Makoto's reputation in Sinnoh had long been ruined.
That was something he could never forgive.
"Is that Makoto Ito?" one voice murmured from the nearby observation lounge.
"He's the guy who seriously injured Garan's Pokémon earlier — and now he's targeting Ash!"
A small group of young elites — heirs of the Eight Major Families of Kanto — were gathered together, watching the scene unfold.
"Yeah," said Ferb Ignatius, his arms crossed. "I heard Makoto's been holding a grudge ever since Cynthia — Ash's fiancée — was engaged through the Yoto family's arrangement. Guess that's why he came all the way to Kanto. Pretty pathetic, really."
"Hmph, what a disgrace," scoffed Sam Blackstone. "Jealous of someone who surpassed him fair and square. Typical behavior for a weakling."
"His strength's nothing special either," said Nathan with a sneer.
"Barely an Elite-level Trainer, and even that's a stretch. All his Pokémon are borrowed from his family — not ones he trained himself."
"Yeah," Ferb added, "and I heard the Pokémon he's using this time are his father's personal team."
Their words carried contempt — not out of arrogance, but from experience.
Trainers who borrowed power never earned true respect among their peers.
In the world of high-level trainers, it wasn't uncommon for those striving toward the Elite tier to train alongside powerful Pokémon from their family's collection — even Legendary ones.
By studying how those Pokémon battled, a trainer could slowly develop their own battle instincts and tactical sense.
But such "borrowed progress" was fragile.
Pokémon that weren't personally raised lacked the emotional bond and synchronization that defined true mastery.
No matter how high their levels climbed, the partnership — the trust — would always be incomplete.
That was the gap that separated genuine champions from the pretenders.
...
TN:
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